Will it be flexible? Will it have a metal frame? We may soon find out...

Following last year's March 14 Galaxy S4 unveil, Samsung Electronics Comp., Ltd. (KRX:005935) (KRX:005930) is looking to get a quicker start on the launch of its successor, the Galaxy S5. The new device may get an early unveil on February 24 following commentary from Samsung last month that it would ship in April.

The South Korean OEM overall grew sales modestly in the Galaxy S4 era. But the results were disappointing given that it had doubled the rate of global sales with each of its previous generations. The Galaxy S4's sales started off at a brisk pace, but trailed off faster than the Galaxy S3, leaving the S4 with only a narrow sales lead.

The Galaxy S5 is expected to bring a biometric iris scanner to unlock your device, a higher resolution screen, Samsung's first 64-bit smartphone processor, and an improved camera. After the disappointment leveled at the GS4's plastic body, Samsung is also rumored to be making major changes including waterproofing and dustproofing the device. Various rumors suggest Samsung may either deploy a highly flexible display (less likely) or a metal/glass frame (somewhat more likely).

Among the top reoccurring Galaxy S5 rumors is that it will include an iris scanner to unlock your device. [Image Source: GalaxyS5Info.com]

The flagship phone is expected to launch alongside a new partner device, the Galaxy Gear 2. After lackluster sales of the first Gear smartwatch, Samsung is keen on putting a better showing the second time around. The mysterious part of the announcement is the "Episode 1" text. That could be an allusion to another global unveil event in March or April, or the Galaxy Note 4, which is expected around mid-year. Or it could mean something altogether unexpected. Samsung fans, ye shall have to wait and see.

Whatever your mobile leanings, you'd be wise to keep a keen eye on the 2014 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain February 24-27. A quieter-than-usual 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) (in terms of product launches) stoked rumors that MWC was going to be the site of numerous device launches from top Android and Windows Phone makers. You might just spot your next smartphone there, if you keep your eye out.

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I'm more interested in the form factor. Samsung has always offered SD slots and replaceable batteries, but for some reason I'm nervous the so-called build quality issues of the S4 might force Samsung to change that and go with a unibody.

I am more interested in the bootloader locks they have been doing. They are apparently addressing the bloat and build quality, but if they keep locking bootloaders, its automatically off my list. No way, no how, not ever.

Well I wouldn't worry, people seem to crack those "locked" bootloaders pretty quickly. There's always a way to get around it.

They are locking down the bootloaders because of Knox. Not saying I agree with it, but I understand why they do it. It makes sense. They want their smartphones to be a solid secure device for Enterprise usage.

The total number of people that care whether it has a locked bootloader or not is far smaller than the number of possible corporate purchases they can lure by increasing security. For example where I work we have over 2,000 ActiveSync devices and probably no more than 50 would care about locked bootloaders.Besides, if Samsung didn't lock it Verizon is 100% sure to lock it like they've always done.

Yup. I totally get why they do it... It's just not something I will buy. My wife got the 4.3 update on her Verizon Note2 and now it cant be properly unlocked... And so far, no-one has cracked it. Even the Note 3. There is a "safestrap" workaround, but it loads custom roms to totally separate partitions losing the storage, and poorly executed at that... The bootloaders are still locked.

Retro lately you've been making it sound like it's impossible to use an Android phone without rooting it and putting a custom ROM on.

I know what you mean, but I think this is giving a bad impression to the uninitiated, and ammo for the haters.

And I had to use Safestrap on my old Verizon Razr, it basically just TWRP and seems executed fine to me. I actually like the fact that the original ROM didn't get blown away, and I can boot back into it in seconds if something goes wrong with a custom ROM.

"Retro lately you've been making it sound like it's impossible to use an Android phone without rooting it and putting a custom ROM on."

No, never said anything like that. I do say and am saying now its horrible to use Samsung ROM's with all the bloat that slows it down, even with the fastest NVRAM and CPU's available, they lag.

As for Safestrap, if you like it that way the go for it. I personally don't like limitations on my own property. I bought the phone, I own it, don't f#$king tell me what I can and cannot do with it. "Not supported" is expected, I certainly wouldn't call an OEM for support with it, Voided warranty is fine. I wouldnt expect any OEM to cover anything like that, but "Not possible" is pure BS. I am fairly sure I have seen you post that same opinion on other subjects. Just because its Samsung doesn't give them a pass. If it were Apple, or MS, its unacceptable, so its the same for Samsung.